64 replies to this topic

[zapa]

This will come in handy for stations. Just tell me if you want to build it with more detailed pics.

For this, you have to put a special plate on the bottom of yout car. For it to work, you need to cut the end off a white rod, so it won't hit the crossties. This works best with multiple car trains.

I'm working on a spiral lift using this method.

[CP-ephY]

Heh that's how i built mine. so great job !

[QAFS]

Awesome!!! Cool man i might use this sometime

[Black Mamba]

I`ve tried to make something like this a few months ago but it didnt work
because i used small wheels and not the machine that Zapa used....

Btw: good idea!

[Shamu]

I was actually thinking about this for a long time. I was going to glue (where are my Gorilla Glue people?) a piece of aluminum or other metal to the bottom of the car, leaving a small hole to let the chain dog dangle.

[Chaos]

The white rod didn't hit the crossties when I tried it. I will probably use this on Panther.

[Swimming24-7]

How much force do they use? Could they push a 4 car train up a slope and not slip? I need to know this for my coaster just to know for engaging reasons.

[Shamu]

You would probably have to have many tires and a slope of about thirty degrees. You probably need to space them at about 1-1/2 car lengths so the car will get anywhere

What I mean is, if they were spaced a "whole-numbered" car length, the tires would eventually stop where the spaces are between the cars. During the whole duration of the trip up the hill, there obviously needs to be at least one tire pushing the train up.

Say, for instance, at the bottom of the lift, there is one tire on a piece of flat track and one on the transition upward. The first tire probably won't get the train stuck because there is still momentum in the train to push it to the next tire. But the second the train gets to the second tire, momentum is lost, which makes placement of this tire good.

Once the first car of the train clears the second tire, the second car is still being pushed by the first tire. This tire will push the second car (which obviously in turn pushes the train as a whole) enough so that the first car can reach the third tire, and so on.

Having four cars is actually very good. While you may have to sacrifice lift slope and speed, you will always have two tires pushing at the same time.

EDIT: Honestly, I would recommend this method for large lifts, unless you have a lot of tires. To break the math done more simply, the distance between tires has to be the highest "half number" less than half the number of cars in the train.

Also, your first tire must be either on a flat surface, downward-sloping surface, or have enough momentum to make it to the second tire.

[zapa]

This won't work on steep slopes.

If you want to use this on an invert, you need to put a blue spacer between the bottom of the car, and the first yellow connector (on the white rod).

[Jogumpie]

Hello everyone!
I have built a tire drive myself and it's at the same height compared to the track.
Now Zapa came up with sawing a white rod to make it work.
What I did was taking a blue rod and snapping 2 black clips on it. They have to be on the outside, just a little to the center.
Then you turn your car upside down and click the black clips into the front row of the car and voila, the blue rod helps the train being pushed forward.

[sixflagsfreak56]

Do you have a picture of it?

[Shamu]

Yes, someone needs to post a tutorial.

[Antinos]

Thats kind of confusing... Post a pic please.

[Zorn]

That is confusing. i have no idea what black clip you are talking about because there are several different black clips. I need pics so please post some pics.

BTW:this tire drive is cool and i will use this sometime.

[Jogumpie]

I'll post a pic when I'm going to post pics of Goliath.

[cdrptrks]

Can you post some pics of the drive system that are level with the track? I can't see all the parts and where they connect from the two that were origionally posted.
-Thanks

[Jogumpie]

[sixflagsfreak56]

Oh I get it.

I like Jogumpies better, it looks more organized and neat.

[TwistedDreams]

Couldn't you put two black flat connectors inbetween those? The tire's will always have friction that way.
-TD

[RCT2123]

Doubt it....Dosen't look wide enough and the tires have friction the whole way anyway???.....(Correct me if I am wrong)....Looks good though Gump.